Republicans drub Democrats in Senate polls; anti-incumbency high against Obama?

Washington, Nov 5: Republicans routed rivals Democrats in the midterm elections to the US Senate, weakening the position of President Barack Obama who has faced steep criticism in the last two years over various issues.

The Republicans till midnight on Tuesday had bagged 52 seats, including those in states like Colorado and Iowa that the Democrats won in 2012, taking full control of the Congress. The Republicans won in states like West Virginia, Arkansas, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Iowa, taking its tally to 51 seats, the number required for a majority in the Congress' upper body. The tally could go up further.

A run-off election was set to be held in Lousiana in December where neither candidate could grab 50 per cent of the votes.

The Democrats, on the other hand, held on to New Hampshire but lost almost all its key target seats.